How a Mentor can bring success for you

How a Mentor can bring success for you

When I watched Mahabharata Television series some three decades back, I was totally in awe of the role of Krishna in the lives of Pandavas and Draupadi. I was a little girl back then. Even then the value a guide can bring to your life looked priceless. Later, I found my Krishna in various friends, seniors in colleges and organizations who havean enormous impact on the course of my life and career. Who told me things I was not ready to hear. They said it anyways. They questioned my decision subtly sometimes which gave me an opportunity to reflect and challenge myself.I got it eventually. I can’t thank them enough now.
Mentorship. Another business jargon or worth your time? While having a Mentor on board doesn’t guarantee positive results every time, it definitely makes journey full of learning moments and breakthroughs. Many successful individuals and organizations owe their accomplishments to their Mentors.It holds special importance in case of the entrepreneurs. Often the road to entrepreneurship is long and lonely. You know how intimidating it can get. You need a partner. You need a sounding board when clouds of self-doubt appear. Your mentor doesn’t have to be someone high up in social or success hierarchy. Your peers can be excellent mentors too. They are operating in exactly the same environment and facing similar challenges as you. They are closer to the reality and results you aspire for. You may find their solutions more relevant. You do not even have to work with just one Mentor. Go on. Have many. Not one person has all the answers.

Let’s explore what a Mentorcan offer and are you ready for it –
1. Experience and Wisdom – Goes without saying! Someone who has been there, done that can support you better with knowledge, skills and expertise. You can actually learn from others mistakes instead of committing them all by yourself. Their hindsight can become your foresight. You will still make mistakes though. Hopefully, new ones.
2. Time – Most thoughtful gift ever! You will be talking to someone who is as invested in your success as you are. This person is your sounding board, friend, guide, advisor all rolled in one. You can bounce off your ideas, thoughts and business decisions in a non-judgmental environment. They are able to see your blind spots. They can take you to the places you didn’t know exist. Leverage their ability to see ahead.
3. People– Along with experience, advice, moral and emotional support, comes networking opportunities. Tap into wider connections with his introduction to movers and shakers in your industry. New people means new and more opportunities.
Mentors are all around you. We just have to look up and willing to learn. They can see more within you and help you bring it out. It is equally important to be willing to mentor others. Though any mentoring relationship should be focusing on the needs of the mentee, mentors also learn invaluable insights in the process. It can be the most satisfying experience. Pay it forward. Make it a two-way street. There is always someone who is yet to do what you have already done. There is also always someone who has done more than you have. We all rise together by uplifting others. There is much knowledge, much talent out there. We have to ask.
I also often wonder that in this era of podcasts, online content, live streaming videos, would modern Arjuna still need Krishna for guidance and support. Is Internet a new Mentor? Internet we all have. Who is your Krishna?
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